spell out — to explain something in detail or very clearly
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to explain something in detail or very clearly
Pronunciation (IPA): /spel aʊt/
Example Sentences
- The boss had to spell out why eating pizza during meetings was unprofessional.
- Can you spell out your email address? I keep typing it wrong.
- My mom had to spell out that 'cleaning your room' didn't mean shoving everything under the bed.
spell out
VERB[/spel aʊt/]
to explain something in detail or very clearly
The teacher asked him to spell out every rule on the board.
When you spell out the truth, never sell out or yell out!
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
This phrasal verb combines 'spell' (from Old English 'spellian', meaning to tell or relate) and 'out' (from Old English 'ut', meaning outside or forth). The literal sense of pronouncing letters individually evolved into the figurative meaning of explaining something in detail or making something explicit.
Breakdown
spell (to pronounce letter by letter, from Old English spellian) + out (forth, outward, from Old English ut) = to explain in detail or make explicit by elaborating step-by-step.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The boss had to spell out why eating pizza during meetings was unprofessional.”
“Can you spell out your email address? I keep typing it wrong.”
“My mom had to spell out that 'cleaning your room' didn't mean shoving everything under the bed.”
“The contract spells out all the responsibilities of both parties.”
📚Related Words
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